Could we see additional stations in the Reading area?

[mangyiscute]

Dunno if this is the right place to post this, but with the new reading green park station, it got me thinking of where you could put some new stations in the reading area.

I think a Woodley station, between Reading and Twyford would make a lot of sense. Either near the big Sheperd's Hill roundabout, or on Pound Lane/Butts Hill Road.

There would be a lot of people from the south in Woodley who would now be within walking distance of this new station and so it would be the main way for those passengers to get into central reading, and it could be easily served by the Elizabeth line and perhaps the GWR semi fasts to provide direct links to London too.

It would effectively act like Tilehurst does for the west of Reading, sitting a bit north of the main population area but still a very attractive location.

 

[busken]

Putting a station in Sonning Cutting would involve passengers having to go up or down an awful lot of steps to reach it!!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Putting a station in Sonning Cutting would involve passengers having to go up or down an awful lot of steps to reach it!!

Isn’t Woodley the Twyford end of Sonning Cutting? There used to be a signal box there.

 

[2192]

... you could put some new stations in the reading area. I think a Woodley station, between Reading and Twyford would make a lot of sense. Either near the big Sheperd's Hill roundabout, or on Pound Lane/Butts Hill Road.

There would be a lot of people from the south in Woodley who would now be within walking distance of this new station and so it would be the main way for those passengers to get into central reading, and it could be easily served by the Elizabeth line and perhaps the GWR semi fasts to provide direct links to London too.

It would effectively act like Tilehurst does for the west of Reading, sitting a bit north of the main population area but still a very attractive location.

If my brother-in-law could cycle to Twyford station from Wokingham daily for a large part of his working life, surely the people of Woodley could do the same -- it would be healthy too. And are there not frequent buses from Woodley into the centre of Reading, depositing folk nearer the shops than the station?

 

[mangyiscute]

If my brother-in-law could cycle to Twyford station from Wokingham daily for a large part of his working life, surely the people of Woodley could do the same -- it would be healthy too. And are there not frequent buses from Woodley into the centre of Reading, depositing folk nearer the shops than the station?

That's no reason to say oh we shouldn't have a station here - it would get a lot more people taking the train which would be a good thing.

 

[The Planner]

If my brother-in-law could cycle to Twyford station from Wokingham daily for a large part of his working life, surely the people of Woodley could do the same -- it would be healthy too. And are there not frequent buses from Woodley into the centre of Reading, depositing folk nearer the shops than the station?

That's no reason to say oh we shouldn't have a station here - it would get a lot more people taking the train which would be a good thing.

One person doesn't translate to a town of 35000. Whilst you could persuade some modal shift to cycling, most won't. Though in the case of Woodley, it looks equidistant from the main line and Earley station so the catchment might not be that big.

 

[SynthD]

That's no reason to say oh we shouldn't have a station here - it would get a lot more people taking the train which would be a good thing.

Would the additional stop dissuade others, by adding time or risking delays? Does it need another unit for the existing frequency? How busy are the buses/roads/cycle lanes to Reading and Twyford? Does it come with a source of funding, like a housing development? If Soning and Charvil became as big as Woodley it would help pay for this.

 

[2192]

....Does it come with a source of funding, like a housing development? If Sonning and Charvil became as big as Woodley it would help pay for this.

Sonning Village folk won't thank you for that suggestion!

 

[SynthD]

Sonning Village folk won't thank you for that suggestion!

Yes, I was expecting that. NIMBYs, green belt, flood plains are relevant here and many other places. You could probably make a map of Britain and circle areas that are outside of flood risks and protected green space, then see what is near railway lines. The other way around, I want a station in this neighbourhood, typically has negative results.